The Dark Side of the Blade
by WolvenSamurai
Summary: Mina Kendo's life, sucks. And it keeps getting progressively worse. Things started to head for the better once she met a mysterious man named Byakuya Kuchiki.... but will it all end well? Contains mild violence and suggested abuse.
1. Chapter 1

_**The Dark Side of the Blade**_

Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. No, really, I don't._

_Hey! Another new story. I wanted to __**try**__ and write one that was a little more serious. So please don't complain if it wasn't quite what you were looking for. I worked hard on this! Please enjoy!_

* * *

**If you fall, I'll catch you...**

_I can catch myself._

**If you are in danger, I will save you...**

_I can save myself._

**If you are hurt, I will heal you...**

_I can do that myself._

**If you die, so will I...**

_I will be fine on my own._

**But I won't...**

_Lie..._

* * *

_The tears wouldn't stop rolling. I could feel the damp trail they left in their wake, like fading memories. _I can never forget the day my brother died, nor the events that were to follow.

The day of the accident was like any other day, to me anyway. I was on my way home from school. I had chosen to walk home that day, because I couldn't afford the bus fare, and it seemed that my brother had forgotten to pick me up again. Thus, my commute home took longer then normal. This caused two things to happen. The first, my brother rushed. He had been delayed by my parents, who never liked me anyway, and ran outside in a blind panic. From what I was told, he wasn't thinking clearly when he backed out of the driveway. I'm not so sure. The second, I saw the accident with my own eyes. My brother had spotted me as I was walking around a corner, and tried to flag me down. I noticed him just as the truck plowed into him head on. The smoke billowed from the burning remains of my brother's car, filling my nose and scorching my eyes. The heat was immense, but my body was frozen to the spot, slowly turning to ice as the warmth of my world disappeared.

_The tears wouldn't stop rolling. I could hear them as they fell to the ground, like droplets of blood from my hands._ I watched. They pulled my brother's charred and blackened frame from the skewed wreckage and twisted metal. My parents cried when they heard of my brother's death. Not because they mourned his passing, but because they would have to deal with me on their own. My brother's funeral was more of a social gathering then a means to bury him. All of the guests were friends of my poor excuse for parents. They never even met my brother, much less cared about his death. I alone paid my respects to him as he was placed into the cold ground and the dirt was placed over him. It was I who visited his grave everyday, and placed flowers on his tombstone.

_That was how it happened._ I was visiting my brother's grave on my way home from school, as usual. This time was a bit different then the others, since, when I arrived there was already something there. It was the first time I ever saw a spirit. The small girl who fled for her life, chain dangling from her chest, looking like a toy before the large creature that chased her. The bulky form and strangely shaped mask on it's face, reminded me of a bear. The girl noticed my gaze, and cried out to me for help, but I simply stood there and watched as the large monstrosity took the girl in it's claws. What did she want me to do? I couldn't help her, no matter how hard she wished it. It ate her in one gulp, then turned to look at me, a crooked smile on it's face. At least, what resembled one. I knew then that this would be my fate. To die by the hand of a creature such as this. Or so I thought. Instead of eating me, it struck up a conversation.

"You are a strange human. You haven't even tried to run away from me." I looked up at it, one brow raised as it sat down in front of me and gave me that strange grin again.

"It's not like I haven't been called strange before. If you wanted to kill me, there is nothing I can do to stop you." The monster looked somewhat startled at my words, but quickly regained it's composure.

"I like you kid. What do you say to us becoming comrades?"

"Alright."

I had answered before I realized it, and ended up friends with this strange creature that called itself a "hollow". Although, it was less of a friendship as much as I was this hollow's pet. He seemed convinced that he had to watch my every movement, like I would get lost or something. I didn't really mind. It was nice to have something care for you. If it couldn't be my family, a monster would do just as well. It was also a very good reason for me to stay out of the house. My parents didn't care what I did anyway. Spending my life at the heels of a hollow wasn't so bad. In fact, it went very well. Until the day that _he_ showed up. The sight of that broad back, the white robe that billowed in the wind, the smell of blood in the air, the Japanese number six showing clearly on his back. This feeling that raged inside of me, the slain body of the hollow I had grown attached to fading away into nothingness. Hate. I instantly hated this dark haired devil that took my only sense of being from me.

"You….are in one piece." I narrowed my eyes at the owner of this deep, cold voice as he turned to look at me with empty eyes. The blood of the hollow stained the front of his clothing, and the tears I had been trying so hard to keep in, rushed down my face.

"There is no longer any need to cry. I will send you off in peace." He raised his sword and I closed my eyes, my stomach twisting into a knot as I awaited the incoming blow. My forehead was greeted by something smooth and cold. I opened my eyes in confusion to see the hilt of his sword resting gently between my eyes. I watched as the man's brow twitched slightly and he lifted the sword to look as the hilt . He acted almost as if it was broken. After glowering at the bottom of his sword for several minutes, he tapped my forehead with it once again. Nothing happened, although I was sure he had expected it to.

"Um, what exactly are you trying to do?" I asked quietly, having calmed down enough to form a proper sentence. The man removed his sword from my face and sheathed it, crossing his arms afterwards as he gave me an inspecting stare. I stared back at him until he spoke again.

"I am trying to send you off. Why are you resisting?" I was puzzled by his words and gave him a confused look.

"Do you mean, like you would send off a dead person?"

"Of course." I drew a blank at this. I was sure that I was still alive. I hadn't thought about death in quite some time.

"I'm….not dead." He gave me an annoyed look as I spoke.

"You are in denial." I sighed at his words. I've never had to prove that I was alive before. That was when I thought of something, and pulled a knife from my pocket. His eyes grew wide, and continued to grow wider as I used the knife to cut my wrist, watching the blood flow. I wasn't quite sure if this injury hurt or not, since I had long ago forgotten what physical pain felt like. I held up my dripping wound to the man, a small smile on my lips.

"See? I'm alive. Dead people don't…."

"_**BAKA**_!!" I flinched as the man interrupted my sentence with his shout of anger. He took hold of my wrist and forced me to sit down on the ground before him as he knelt, taking a bandage from his haori. As he took care of my self inflicted injury, I couldn't help but stare at the top of his head. He was leaning forward awkwardly, since the difference in our size was rather large, and his head was bent down to better inspect his work. How could a devil who had killed my very first friend, my one and only relationship, be it a flawed one, be so kind to me?

"Why are you being so kind to me?" He looked up at me from his work, which was done quite well, and my heart skipped a beat. He had even put stitches in, even though he needn't have.

"It's my job."

"You killed my friend."

"That hollow? That was not your friend. It was a monster that would have eaten you without a second thought."

"But he didn't."

"He would have."

"No he wouldn't of."

"You are dim-witted, aren't you?" He muttered in annoyance as he stood up, crossing his arms once again.

"No, I'm just hated."

"That is ridiculous."

"Then replace my friend. Be my friend in his place, if it's so ridiculous." The man was silent, and made no move to answer me. I sighed, knowing I had always been bad at making friends. "Mina Kendo." This made the man twitch slightly as my name seemed to slip from my lips.

"Byakuya Kuchiki." I was completely taken aback by the reply, and yet relieved at the same time. I had never expected him to reply with his own name. "Now, go home, Kendo-san."

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_Author's note: Wow, this story won't be very long. Good thing it's meant to be short anyway. My brain can only take so much seriousness. I tried very hard on this. Let me know what you think! Stick around for the next chapter._


	2. Chapter 2

The Dark Side of the Blade

Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Never will. Unless someone wants to randomly give it to me… Don't think that will happen. _

_Well, here is Chapter 2 of this strange little story. This will be my shortest and most depressing story ever. If you all happen to like this, I will do more, but I really do prefere comedies. Oh well, on to the story!_

* * *

_I am useless…_

**That's not true.**

_I have no friends…_

**I'm here for you.**

_I am hated…_

**I could never hate you.**

_I am unloved…_

**But I love you.**

_Lie…_

* * *

"What happened to your face?" I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of the deep voice from behind me. I looked up from the pile of bloody toilet paper in front of me, which I had been using to stem the flow of blood from my forehead, to see Byakuya Kuchiki sitting in my window. He looked perfectly at home sitting there, even though this was only our second meeting. It was exactly one month since he killed my hollow friend.

"I fell and hit my head." The words that came from my lips were a lie, something I said on a reflex more then anything. Unfortunately, he seemed to notice this.

"Give it here." I gave him a confused look, not sure what he was talking about, but walked over to him anyway. He promptly reached up and took hold of my throbbing brain, forcing me to kneel down in front of him. He then placed my head gently upon his lap and began to tend to my wound. I could feel my face heat slightly at the strangeness of the position.

"I hope this won't become a trend. Now tell me the truth." My heart skipped a beat, and I resisted the urge to pull away. He was silent, almost as if he was expecting an immediate response. Was I a pet to him as well?

"I don't want to." I waited quietly as he seemed not to notice my words. I was about to repeat them when I heard his deep voice, speaking softly beside my ear.

"This is what friends do, is it not?" I paused at this, my body going almost completely limp against his legs. I almost cried. I could feel the wetness as it began to build up inside of me, my vision starting to blur. He called us friends, and that alone made me happier then anything in this world.

"My father beat me." There was a small twitch from him.

"Did you deserve it?" I wasn't sure what kind of answer he was expecting, so I simply said what came to mind.

"I dropped a dish."

"Then this was your punishment." I gave a small sigh at that, shifting my body so that I could look up at him without the situation turning awkward. At least, anymore awkward then it already was. My eyes met his, and I tried my hardest to hide the heat I felt beneath my cheeks.

"He beat me with an extension cord, a pan and a glass bottle, which broke over my head. There are deep bruises all over my body and an open wound in my skull. Yet, you want to say that was my punishment…? For dropping a dish..? It didn't even break…" I paused for a moment when I felt one of the hands on my head twitch. His expression had not changed, but I could tell from his steadily tightening grip that he felt something.

"Is that normal…?" I was slightly startled at this question, and I couldn't help but raise a brow.

"For punishment? Not unless I seriously missed something…." A violent crash caught both of our attention and we looked towards my bedroom door. There was yet another crash, and a strange noise before my father, drunk as he always was, burst through my door bottle in hand. He stood there for a moment, as if he was confused, before giving me a strange grin. I flinched automatically, and moved closer to Kuchiki-san.

"Ya've gotten better at fixin' yourself up, haven't ya, ya little wench? I'll give ya something else to practice on." My hands instinctively clenched at the fabric of Kuchiki-san's hakama as my father started towards me. I didn't know what to do, I never did. I was knocked back on my bottom before I realized it, the soothing cloth of Kuchiki-san's hakama gone from my fingers, a jarring pain working its way back up along my body. I blinked as my father was brutally knocked backwards and he stumbled in an attempt to regain his balance. It didn't work, as he fell flat on his back just outside of my door. Kuchiki-san's movement had been so swift that I hadn't even realized he moved until he was crouched down in front of me, lifting my head with a hand and continuing to tend to my wound. The door to my room had been shut and locked, my father on the other side of it, all in only a matter of a few seconds. It was surprising to say the least. To call it _just_ surprising would be an insult.

" I take it that he can't see you. What exactly are you, Kuchiki-san?" I was almost afraid of the answer he would give me, and yet I couldn't help being curious.

"I am a shinigami." The words were so blunt and to the point I nearly hit Kuchiki-san for it. For some reason though, his words did not surprise me at all. Quite the opposite in fact. I felt that this was one of the only believable answers I would accept. When he had finished mending my head with a skill I could never hope to gain and moved to sit back at my window, I asked the question that had started to eat at my mind since those words had left his lips.

"So, when am I going to die?" My words seemed to have hit something in him, as he raised one brow in response, crossing his legs and leaning towards me.

"Just because a shinigami is near you, doesn't mean that you are going to die. Get such foolish thoughts out of that injured head of yours." I snickered to myself, amused at the way he chose to answer my question.

"So I _am_ going to die. Is it today or tomorrow?" He made an agitated noise, leaning back against the sill of the window.

"_Neither_. You are going to live to be ninety years old with seven grandchildren and eighteen cats." I'm not sure why, but the words calmed me down a bit, even though I knew that they were lies. I gave Kuchiki-san a small smile as I shifted my aching body to a standing position and leaned towards him.

"Thank you, Kuchiki-san. You made me feel a little better." He gave me a very soft pat on the head, just as my father began to beat on my door once more. I would have thought that the force he had been hit with would have knocked him out longer.

"Do you want me to knock him out once more?" I shook my head, trying to assure him that I was fine. He didn't seem convinced.

* * *

A week had gone by, and I hurt everywhere. I was used to it, since I was always hurting. The darkening bruise over my cheek bone was new though, and it ached the worst. At least school that day had gone by without any hitches. In my hand was a flower, a daisy to be more precise. It had been my big brother's favorite flower. I was headed to visit his grave. I had almost gotten out of the habit, events in my life as strange and chaotic as they were. As I knelt in front of his tombstone, a smile on my lips, I felt a strange sensation. I could almost swear that I was being watched.

"Mina…. " I nearly jumped out of my skin as I turned to look in the direction of the voice. It was familiar, and yet foreign at the same time. Floating awkwardly at my side was the spirit of my brother. At least, that was what it looked like. Something was off though. I cocked my head, somewhat confused as it reached out a hand to me.

"Mina…Thank you for visiting my grave everyday….Why don't you come and join me…?" I gave a small lurch and pulled away from this spirit. Whatever it was, it was not my brother. Just as that thought crossed my mind, there was a flash of white as my eyes came face to face with a very familiar haori and a rather unfamiliar screech.

"Are you a magnet for trouble? I can't leave you alone for any amount of time without something going after you, can I?" I shrugged as I looked up at the face of Byakuya Kuchiki. I wasn't sure if what I felt at that moment was relief or if it was happiness. Whichever one it was, I didn't like the way it was making my heart beat so fast. He extended a hand to help me up, and I noticed that the spirit was gone.

"What was that thing?" I asked as I was lifted to my feet. Kuchiki-san sheathed his word and crossed his arms, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

"I don't know. I believe it best if I walk you home today." I rolled my eyes at this comment, as it fit him for some reason. I tried to act like I was annoyed, but deep down I was happy.

"Joy. Escort me from one danger into another. Aren't you just so nice?" I muttered, trying to cover it up. There was a sharp rap to my forehead and I winced, turning to walk in the direction that Kuchiki-san was motioning me towards.

The walk home was uneventful. Almost unbearably so. Kuchiki-san was so silent that it was nearly driving me insane. I finally couldn't take anymore of the quiet and stopped at the bridge that crossed the river flowing near my house. The water was unusually high since it had been raining for most of the week. As I leaned against the nearby rail and looked down at the rushing water below me, I could swear I heard footsteps. I turned to look behind me and saw Kuchiki-san, looking slightly agitated.

"Kendo-san, I don't believe it's a good idea to stop here." I sighed, rolling my eyes as I went back to staring down at the water. What was the worst thing that could happen?

"Don't be so uptight about it, Kuchiki-san. " I grumbled as the soft shuffling of footsteps reached my ears again.

"Are you walking around…?" I asked Kuchiki-san curiously, thinking it was him as I turned to look at him once more. He shook his head and started to move closer to me, seeming to be worried.

"You might want to move away from the rail…" His statement confused me.

"Why…" A sudden impact to my chest took my breath away from me, and sent me reeling backwards. I saw Kuchiki-san's expression change just as I fell backwards over the railing.

"MINA!" My name was the last thing I heard as the raging water took me in it's cold grip, dragging me down into it's depths.

* * *

_Author's note: Well, that's it for chapter 2. I hope you liked it. Just one more chapter to go until this story is finished. Stick with me, alright? _


	3. Chapter 3

The Dark Side of the Blade

Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor any of the Bleach cast. I do own this story though. No stealing please! Thank you bunches._

_This is the last chapter. It was quite a hard story for me to write, but I think it turned out pretty decently, don't you?_

* * *

**What is bothering me, you ask? Maybe I'm in love.**

_With who?_

**What does it concern you?**

_It doesn't._

**You.**

_What?_

**You. I love…you.**

_Lie…_

* * *

I remember…the darkness, the cold, rushing water all around me. The feeling…of my body being tossed about like a doll. The water…as it filled my lungs, the burning sensation as I tried to take a breath. I can remember it…and yet, I could no longer feel it. All I could feel….was a warm numbness. All I could hear was the soft sound of breathing and the deep vibrations of someone's voice. A deep, quiet interruption into my dark world.

"Mina? Come on, wake up….Please…" My eyes slowly opened in response to the voice, and I realized that I was alive, more or less. I was in one piece, a soaking wet piece, but still whole. The first image to greet my tired, burning eyes, was that of a wet Kuchiki-san, staring down at me from above. The gaze was so intense that I felt embarrassed just to know it was directed towards me. My chest ached horribly, and I felt as if my breath wanted to stand still.

"Ow…." I mumbled, my voice raspy and raw. I shifted, trying to sit up, feeling a large, steadying hand upon my back.

"You big _idiot_! I told you not to stand near the railing! Now look at what you've gone and done! You nearly drowned! " I blinked, taken aback by the pure heat of Kuchiki-san's sudden anger. I brushed a mass of damp hair from my eyes as I turned to face him.

"Kuchiki-san, why are you so upset? It was just an accident." He cast me a glare so fierce that I nearly fell backwards. I couldn't quite wrap my water-logged brain around his anger. Was it because I almost died? Or did he simply enjoy getting mad at me?

"What if you had died? Do you not care about your own life?" So that was what this was about. I gave Kuchiki-san a smile as big as my face would allow, which wasn't much, as bruised as it was.

"If I died, then I would be very lucky. I would have someone who actually desired to send me off. I would have no worries, wouldn't I?" There was a sharp rap to my head and I blinked, raising a hand to the spot as I watched Kuchiki-san divert his gaze.

"That's not a good reason to be so relaxed about death." I gave a little sigh, partially from the headache forming behind my eyes, and partially because I got the feeling that there was something else bothering him.

"What else is bothering you, Kuchiki-san?" He ignored my question, much to my growing annoyance. So I tugged on the damp sleeve of his haori until he looked at me, a dark glower in his eyes.

"You want to know what is bothering me? Alright then. I'm in _LOVE_. Now stop abusing my clothing." I released his haori, a little more then shocked, to say the least. In fact, it was way _past_ shocked. I was in disbelief.

"With who?" I asked, as I couldn't help but feel curious.

"What does it concern you?" That was a very good question. What Kuchiki-san did in his private life was no concern of mine. I wasn't even sure he had private life.

"It doesn't." He seemed a little disappointed at my answer, though I wasn't sure why. His expression confused me more then his words.

"And if I said it was you, Mina?" I gave a little chuckle, convinced that it was a joke. I tried to ignore the happy shiver that went through my body as he called me by my first name, and attempted to give him a comprehendible reply.

"That would be a nice laugh." That, of course, earned me a glare, and Kuchiki-san reached towards me. That was when I noticed the large shadow looming over me. I looked up, just as Kuchiki-san cursed. It couldn't be a good thing if he was cursing.

"This thing is persistent! Didn't I _just_ kill you?" The thing, was a wall of water, at least on the surface. I had no clue what was behind it, although I was sure, judging by his expression, that Kuchiki-san did. He cursed once more and grabbed hold of my hand, just as the water crashed down on us. I felt my body being pulled upwards and I hit the surface, sputtering. Kuchiki-san had me pressed tightly against his chest, one arm wrapped around my waist. His free hand was still grasped firmly to my own.

"Kuchiki-san?" I was going to inquire as to why I was being held like a child, but quickly thought better of it. I technically was a child.

"Don't let go of me. Not even for a second." His expression was so serious that I couldn't object. My lips simply refused to form the words, or any words for that matter. I simply clung to him the best that I could and prayed that I would get out of this alive. My eyes clenched tightly shut, all I could concentrate on was the feeling of his muscles, the pure strength flexing under me as he struggled against the water. This was _not_ a good time for my heart to race out of control, but it seemed to think otherwise. I was relieved when he finally broke free of the water's grip, and had pulled the two of us onto dry land, far from the river's bank.

"Keep hold Mina. It's not over yet." I looked up at Kuchiki-san from where I had collapsed on the grainy soil beneath me, watching as he pulled out his sword and cast me a look. What a sword was going to do to water, I couldn't fathom. My hand obediently took hold of his haori, and I began to feel like a pet again, but in a good way. The ground under us began to shake, and I gulped. The water was coming at us once more, as was something strange from above.

"More of them?" The tone of Kuchiki-san's voice was strained, and I couldn't help the growing feeling that this might end poorly. No, for some reason I was sure of it. This wasn't good at all. Kuchiki-san seemed to notice this as well, as more and more…_things_ began to appear. I could feel my fear begin to eat at my insides, tears building up in my eyes.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura." The soft words that floated from Kuchiki-san's lips confused me. The sight of his sword falling to the earth didn't exactly help me either. I was startled to see his sword turn into thousands upon thousands of small, pink petals. I couldn't understand how the sword had managed to do this in the first place, and I couldn't help but wonder what these pink, frail looking petals were going to do to the monsters surrounding us. At least, until I touched one. I had to suppress a yelp as the single petal sliced deep into my finger. That was when I understood. These pale, pink objects swirling around us were _blades_. Thousands, possibly millions, of small, obsessively sharp blades. Blades that managed to keep almost everything at bay. Almost. The one thing that they couldn't keep out, was the _water_.

Before I could react I was wrenched away, my grip on Kuchiki-san's haori slipping. I struggled against the strange tentacle of water, but I couldn't get away. He noticed just as the water tugged me through the protective barrier of petals, my grip on him lost. He reached for me, but his hand just barely missed mine, our eyes going wide almost in unison.

"Byaku……ya…." His name was the last word to leave my lips as the water forced it's way down my throat, the only sound I could hear was a cry of anger.

That's when I knew I was dead. I didn't just _think_ I was dead. I knew this time, because, for one, I was floating in the air, and I could see my body at the bottom of the river. Kuchiki-san was only a few yards below me, standing at the edge of the river. He was covered in blood, surrounding him was a multitude of mutilated bodies. It was nearly impossible to tell what they had once been. I made my way over to Kuchiki-san's side, just as the bodies started to fade away. His sword had returned to being just a normal sword, and he was clutching it so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"Ne, Byakuya? Is it nice, this place I'm headed?" He turned his gaze towards me, a dull look in his eyes. The response he gave me was a simple nod, followed by a half-hearted smile. I could tell that he was holding back a lot of emotions. It made me sad, seeing him like this.

"You won't be hungry, or thirsty. You won't have to worry anymore." The reassuring tone of his voice didn't quite reach his eyes. His expression was a placid one, almost as if he were about to give up. "Just…try to stay somewhere I can find you." I gave him a mischievous grin. I really wanted to cheer him up. Being so glum really wasn't suited to him.

"Alright. I'll stand on a bridge." The expression he gave me made me want to laugh.

"You go near a bridge, and I'll kill you again myself." I couldn't help but giggle at this as the end of a sword touched my forehead.

* * *

3 months later…

Byakuya Kuchiki was sitting at his desk, quieter then he usually was, signing papers. His Lieutenant, Abarai Renji walked reluctantly into the room, not wanting to see the scene he knew would greet his eyes. It was depressing, how the Captain was almost like a robot, performing his duties in an icy cold manner. There was no thought in them at all. Renji watched this for a few moments before he had built up enough courage to speak to the colder then usual Captain.

"Taicho…? I have the report." These words caught Byakuya's attention almost instantly, as he looked up at his Lieutenant. There was a small amount of life in his eyes, as if he were hoping for something.

"Did you find her?" Renji gulped. The question made him not want to answer. He almost didn't, but the intent gaze of his Captain brought it out of him.

"Not yet…" As soon as the sentence left Renji's lips, Byakuya ceased to pay attention. Renji sighed, and walked from the room. He couldn't quite understand his Captain's sudden new obsession with girls standing on bridges.

* * *

6 months later…

I was hungry, thirsty and more annoyed then I had ever been in my actual life. For a place where you weren't supposed to feel such things, I sure as hell felt them. I sighed to myself, knowing that being angry about it would solve nothing, and pulled my hood over my head in an attempt to block out the noon day sun from my eyes. There had been a strange commotion going on near all of the bridges in the Rukon, for several months now. This bridge in particular was more active then usual. Apparently, one of the Captain's of the shinigami was there, checking on the squad he had assigned to watch the area. The bridge was actually all they were supposed to watch, but they still looked out for the area around it. None of this concerned me anyway, I wasn't going to go near a bridge. Even if I was on fire. At least, until I heard something familiar.

"What's your report?" The voice was deep and cold, yet so very familiar. I couldn't help but peek out from under my hood, just this once was what I told myself. There, behind a large crowd and surrounded by shinigami, was none other then Byakuya Kuchiki. I knew it was useless but I still got up and slowly made my way from my spot against a nearby building, towards the edge of the crowd that had formed several yards away from him. I was glad the spot was far from the bridge, but disappointed because I couldn't get closer to him. It was very noisy, but I tried to speak anyway.

"Ne, Kuchiki-san. I would have thought you'd be doing something constructive. And yet here you are, terrorizing people who are just trying to cross bridges. For shame." I didn't think that he could have heard me over the noise of the crowd, but I was shocked to see his gaze train directly upon me. There was a strange clatter as the crowd went deathly silent, and I realized the noise was a sword being dropped. I was swept up into an awkward embrace so quickly that I nearly lost my breath. I had no time to react.

"Mina…This is most defiantly _not _a bridge where you are standing." I smiled at the man who's head was buried against my neck, placing a hand upon it.

"Obviously. You said that if I went near a bridge that you'd kill me. So why would I go and stand on one, Kuchiki-san?" He lifted his head to glower at me, and I laughed. That laugh was quickly cut off by his lips against mine. I couldn't help but be surprised, but I had a feeling that the other shinigami, who had fainted, were more surprised then I was.

"Kuchiki-san…"

"Mina…use my name properly." I had no clue how that wasn't a proper way to speak his name, but I wasn't in the mood to question it.

"Byakuya….What was that for?"

"That was punishment." I gave him a strange look, not quite understanding what he meant. For one, how was that a punishment, and two, what was I being punished for? He could say some confusing things sometimes.

"For what?"

"For listening to me and not standing on a bridge."

"Ah I see. Makes sense." It didn't. "Can I ask you for something?" He nodded as he ran his fingers through my hair, completely ignoring the interested stares of the people around us. It was making me nervous, but if he didn't mind, there wasn't much that I could do. He was quite an unreasonable person to fall in love with. "Got anything to eat?" His response? The truest laugh I have ever heard come from his lips.

* * *

_Author's note: Well, that's the end of the story. If you want any more of it, let me know. I'll think about it. It might take awhile though, I do have a few other projects to do. Thanks for reading!_


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